Railway car structure



Feb. 16, 1943. K. F. NYSTROM RAILWAY CAR STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 5, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 16, 1943. K. F. NYSTROM RAILWAY CAR STRUCTURE 4 Shets-She et 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1940 [we/22hr.-

Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNlTED STATE s PATENT OFFICE 37 Claims.

My invention relates more especially to the side wall construction of railroad freight cars wherein the side wall consists of preformed metal members arranged longitudinally of the car and are so formed and united that the joints between the metal members also are disposed in. the

direction of the thrusts; the integrally united members constituting a girder extending from end to end of the car in the direction of the thrusts encountered by the car, thereby providing a stronger construction with a minimum number of elements.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a light weight steel car body which is sufficiently strong to withstand the shocks of coupling, starting or stopping of a car, torsional movements due to superelevation on curves and uneven track and otherforces to which a car is subjected in ordinary service, which object I obtain by a better disposition of the metal according to the stresses imposed thereon than has heretofore been accomplished.

Another object is to form relatively large p'arts of the car as units (such as the roof, side walls, end walls and underframe) where such work can be quickly and economically done and then assemble these several units into acar where handling mechanisms for such large and heavy units are available. Such procedure assures greater accuracy to predetermined dimensions of the units and to the final dimensions of the threshold and to provide and form a metallic threshold plate to obtain great horizontal strength for the doorway threshold.

Another object is to provide a side wall of a railway car with a large dooropening and to provide the door opening with a threshold and lintel, both of which are very strong in any direction; that is, vertically, horizontally or any angle therebetween, and furthermore-to associate such .threshold and lintel with the other elements of "-the side wall to strengthen the wall around the door opening. This is essential because the side wall is a girder between thebody bolsters and, of course, the web of the girder is not present at the door opening.

In conventional car construction the side sill comprises a rolled steel angle having a horizonta'l flange upon which the floor boards rest and an upstanding flange to which the vertical posts are secured. 'These posts stop short of the floor and a sloping wooden grain deflecting strip is installed between the posts to prevent grain and car and assures that the car and units will function as intended.

Another object is to so relate the side wall metallic sheets, side wall stifiening posts, side sili and flooring so that condensed moisture forming on the inside surface of theside wall sheets will not be retained at the bottom of the vertical posts and corrode the posts, adjacent side wall sheets and/or side sill but instead will be allowed to seep through the car structure to outside the car. Furthermore, in my arrangement air may circulate around these elements and dry them, thus preventing corrosion.

It is customary to use a runway to load cars, one end of which rests upon the loading platform and the other end rests upon the threshold of the door opening of the .car. Heavily loaded trucks are rolled over this runway into the car from which it will be seen that great loads are momentarily, but frequently, imposed upon the threshold.

Another object is to support the threshold plate for the door opening directly upon the side sill of the car to provide vertical strength for the other foreign matter from accumulating behind the lining. Grain and other foreign matter does, however, get in the pocket between the ends of the floor boards and the upstanding flange of the side sill and also on top of the floor boards around the bottoms of the posts. This foreign matter gets wet and causes corrosion of the side sill and bottoms of the posts. Very little air can get to these places to dry them. Another object is to provide an auxiliary side sill element, which is supported by the side sill, andwhich in turn supports the floor boards, but wherein the top of the. floor boards are substantially flush with the top of the auxiliary member so that moisture of condensation (or other moisture) will not remain on top of the auxiliary member but may seep to the wooden floor boards where it is absorbed, or, if in larger quantity, may run outside of the car between the ends of the floor boards and the flooring of the auxiliary member. My arrangement also allows air to come in contact with and circulate around and over the auxiliary member and bottoms of the door posts todry them.

Another object is to provide a floor comprising the car which are shorter than the distance between the car side walls so that the floor boards may be removed and replaced without disturbing the side walls or any part thereof. This isdesirable because floor boards are subjected to severe abrasionand require frequent replacement, especially between doorways. I also provide means for attaching the floor boards to the underframe of the car which can be removed and replaced without disturbing the side walls.

Another object is to provide a metallic floor protecting plate laid on top of the wooden floor 'boards to protect them against abrasion and to floor protecting plate would strengthen the side sill to resist such a blow. The floor protecting plate is preferably perforated to facilitate blocking the lading by driving spikes through such perforations into the wooden floor.

Another object is to provide means to support a car roof upon the side walls of the car so that the roof may be assembled as a unit and attached thereto and detached therefrom entirely from the Another object is to provide a side wall for a railway car having relatively wide corner posts and door posts connecting the top and bottom chords thereof with relatively thin web plate therebetween. Such wide 'corner and door posts provide ample means for attachment of the top and bottom chords to enable them to resist the tendency of the side wall to parallelogram. Such wide corner and door posts also provide a relatively rigid structure when half of the side wall is made in a unit for later assemblage with the other units forming the car.

In the drawings: Y I

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of my improved car.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the side wall of the car.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the side plate and associated parts.

outside of the car. This is especially desirable in refrigerator cars so that the roof may be applied to the car after the insulation is in place and may be removed from the car without disturbing the insulation.

The side wall of a railway car is a girder carrying part of the weight of the lading and superstructure of the car between the body bolsters, which bolsters are supported by the trucks. The girder comprises a top chord, a bottom chord, a web plate between said chords and vertical stiffeners for the web plate. Such a girder must be capable of not only carrying the above mentioned weight (or load) but must also function as a lading retaining means, and also be capable of withstanding the service shocks and impact loads of a car in service. The impact of starting or stopping a train is delivered to a railway car through the couplers which are positioned 34 above the rail which is very much below the center of gravity of the car body, therefore, the impact thrusts of starting or stopping a car causes a tendency for. the roof to move parallel to the track. Such a force tends to cause the vertical posts of the side walls to assume a diagonal position and the top chord to approach the bottom chord. Two adjacent vertical posts, the portions of the top and bottom chord connecting them and the web plate therebetween is called a panel. When a roof moves, as mentioned above, the diagonally opposite corners of a panel approach each other and the other diagonal corners thereof Fig. 41s a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the overlap of the Wall sheets and associated parts.

Fi .5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 1 showing the side sill and associated parts.

Fig. 6 is a section on' line 66 of Fig. 1 showing the side plate and associated parts at doorway.

Fig. '7 is a section on line 1-1 of Fig. 1 showing the side sill and associated parts at doorway.

Fig. 8 shows a modified auxiliary side sill and floor construction.

Fig. 9' shows a cross section of the floor on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 shows a modification of the construction shown in Fig.8. V

Fig. 11 shows a modified side sill, floor and threshold construction. 1

Fig. 12 is a section on line l2-l2 of Fig. 1 showing the corner post and associated parts.

Fig. 13 is a section-on line Iii-I3 of Fig. 1 showing the intermediate post and associated parts.

Fig. 14 is a section on line l4-l4 of Fig. 1 showing the back door post and associated parts.

Fig. 15 is a section on line I5|5 of Fig. 1 showing the front door post and associated parts.

Figs. 16 and 17 show the assembled central portion of the sidewall.

According to modern theory of design, a railway box car'comprises a center sill (or back bone) capable of withstanding the severe shocks of coupling and other compressive forces and separate. The tensile strength of a steel plate is suflicient to prevent the corners from separating but the same steel plate may buckle and allow the corners to approach each other unless means are provided to resist such approaching.

Another object is to strengthen each side wall of the car against parallelograming by providing means to prevent the web plate of each panel thereof from buckling and a further object is associating such means to adjacent panels so that they will cooperate to form a continuous means from corner post to door post of the side wall.

Another object is to provide means to prevent the web plate of each side wall from buckling between the vertical posts due tothe horizontal impacts caused by stopping or starting the train or coupling cars.

also capable of transmitting the tractive effort (pull) of the locomotive through the car. The floor and the weight of the lading thereon is supported partially by the center sill and partially by the side walls of the car and to support such weight the side walls are made in the form of girders to transmit such weight to the body bolsters. In such construction the sill and plate of the car form the bottom and top chords, respectively, the outer sheathing forms the web of the girder and the vertica1 posts form the stiffeners for the web.

The side wall, comprises a lower chord 'or side sill 2 extending continuously and in one piece from end to end of car. The auxiliary side sill 3 is made of three pieces resting upon and. se-

cured to the side sill 2 to reinforce it laterally.

the ends, respectively,=of the central portion to form a continuous member and so that all three pieces will cooperate to strengthen the, side sill to resist lateral forces and to function as the bottom chord of the girder. The end portions may be riveted or otherwise secured to the side e auxiliary side sill 3 (see Fig. 5)- comprises a horizontal portion 8 resting upon and secured to the side sill 2; an outer upstanding flange 9 for attachment of the vertical posts andan inner flange III formed with a reflange II. The floor I3 rests upon the reflange II and is secured thereto by the bolts I4. The length of the floor boards I3 is preferably less than the distance between the inside linings I5 so that the floor boards I3 may be removed and replaced without disturbing the side walls. In the doorway the auxiliary side sill member 8 is provided with a depending stiffening flange I6 at'its outer margin. (See Fig. 7.)

Fig. 8 shows a modified construction wherein the auxiliary side sill element comprises an inner piece I5I and an outer piece I50 with their meeting edges spaced slightly apart so that welded material I52 applied therebetween secures the pieces I50 and I 5I together and also to the side sill 2. Making the auxiliary side sill elev ment of two separate pieces has several advantages; first, the floor supporting piece I5I may be made of heavier material thanthe wall attaching piece I58; secondly, sections of the floor (including the floorboards and the inner auxiliary side sill element I5I) may be fabricated as separate units and applied to and removed from the car as such, and thirdly, the fabricated side walls could be more easily transported because removing the floor supporting part I5I of the auxiliary side sill element would enable more fabricated walls to be loaded into a car, and furthermore, it would eliminate the possibility of damage to such floor supporting part (Ill-II) in transit, loading and unloading.

Fig. 11 shows a modified structure wherein the side sill comprises a rolled angle I80 having a vertical flange I8I to which the auxiliary side sill element I82 is secured by a rivet I83 or other means. The threshold part I84 of the auxiliary side sill element I82 is supported by the angle The upper chord or side plate 28 of the side wall comprises a steel plate formed with a relatively wide main vertical portion 2| for attachment of the vertical posts; an upper inclined inwardly projecting flange 22 for'support of the roof 23 which flange has a stiffening reflange 28; a lower offset portion 24 to protect the upper edges of the side sheets and a lower outwardly projecting stiffening flange 25 or water table. The Association of American Railroads have adapted a clearance diagram determining the outside dimensions of a car in interchange upon the several railroads of the association. A portion of the latest proposed diagram is shown at A-A in Fig. 3. By making the main portion 2I of the side plate 20 of great depth vertically I am able not only to obtain great strength for the side plate, but to extend the door hood and lintel outwardly without extending beyond the clearance line. The upper chord 20 is made of three pieces lengthwise of the car. The central portion extends over the doorway and overlaps the door posts. The end portions are aligned therewith and have their ends welded to the ends chord of the girder.

The roof 23 comprises a plurality of roof sheets 28 extending crosswise of the car with portions thereof resting upon the portion 22 of the side plate 20 and provided with'depending marginal flanges 28 provided with'apertures for plug welding 30 to the main portion 2| of the side plate. The outside carline or supporting rib 3| is also preferably provided with depending end portions 32 which are plug welded to the side plate. By this arrangement va waterproof connection of the roof to the car is assured, and furthermore, the roof may be applied or removed entirely from outside the car. able in refrigerator carsso as not to disturb the insulation.

Each door post 35 (seeliigs. 14 and 15) comprises a. main portion 38 extending about eighteen inches along the-side of the car and forming a part of the weatherprooflng means thereof which underlaps the main portion 2I of the side plate 28 andis secured thereto and also overlaps the upstanding flange 8 of the auxiliary side sill 3 and is secured thereto. The door. post 35 also comprises an inturned flange 31 having a reflange 31' forming a door jamb for the door opening and another inturned flange 38 formed with a reflange 39 to form a vertical stiifener. A nailing block 40 for the lining I5 is inserted in the reentrant angle of the main portion 38- and the flange 31 which is held in place by a bolt 4I having its head welded 42 to the flange. The welded bolt construction eliminates holes in the flange 31 which might allow water to pass therethrough. Another nailing strip 44 is inserted in the reentrant angle of the main portion 36 and flange 38 similarly held in place by the bolt 45. The removable wooden strips 48 are spiked to the nailing strips 40 for attachment of a grain door. Frequent driving and remova1 of nails in the strip necessitates frequent replacement. The door'lintel 58 extends between the door posts 36-36 just below the side plate 20 and is welded to the door posts and also preferably to the outstanding lip 25 of the side plate. The lintel and the auxiliary side sill 3 (and the hood 5I, if used) reinforce the side wal1 girder around the door opening where the web plate is omitted.

The side door 54 itself may be of reinforced metal or Wood, but for convenience, I have shown a conventional door comprising a plurality of connected metallic sheets 55 with marginal reinforcements. Any desired type of roller supports, opening or closing mechanism or locking mechanism may be used. The door is provided with rollers which engage the track which is supported by brackets 62. The upper marginal stiffener 58 for the door'is under the hood' 5| and has a portion 5| overlying but spaced from the lintel. (See Fig. 7.) The front marginal stiffener 65 overlaps the seal strip 61 which engages a cooperative seal strip 68 on the car body. (See Fig. 14.)

The corner post 10 (see Fig. 12) is'similar to the door post 35 and comprises a main portion 1|; a flange 12 having a reflange 13 (to which the corrugated end wall plate 14 is secured by welding at 15 and 16) and a flange 18 with a reflange 19. Nailing strips 88 and 8| for the lining I5 are held in place by the bolts 82 and 83. The end wall comprises horizontally corrugated plates 14 which extend around the corner of the car and are secured to the corner posts 10. Nailing strips are inserted in the corrugations to which This is especially desirthe end lining is nailed. The end wall I4 with the lining, ladder handles, grab handles, brake step, etc., may be assembled and applied to the car as a unit. Intermediate posts 88 (see Fig. 13) are of Z-section and comprise a web 89; an inner flange 90 (welded to the side plate 20) and an outer flange SI. The inner flange 80 is merely wide enough to provide a good weld, while the outer flange is appreciably wider. The post 88 is a beam between the upper and lower chords to support horizontal loads. Such a load may be caused by a shifting load in which case the flange BI is a compression member, or the force may come from the outside of the car in which case the flange BI is a tension member. The post 88 may also act as a column. In either event the flange 9I should be wider than the flange!!!) to develop strength in these intermediate posts. Nailing strips 92 are provided for attachment of the lining I5. These strips provide a small space 93 between the lining I5 and posts 88 to assure a tight lining. The lining 86 above the doorway (see Fig. 6) is secured toa nailing strip attached to member 91.

The lower ends of the door posts 35, corner posts I and intermediate posts 88 are secured to the upstanding flange 9 of the auxiliary sid sill member 3. These posts also preferably abut against the member 8 and are welded thereto, as shown in Fig. 5. The reflanges 31', 39 and 13 of the door post 35 and the refianges l3 and I9 of the corner posts I0, respectively, are also preferably welded to the auxiliary side sill member 3, as Well as the flange 9| of the intermediate posts 88. I

The upper ends of the door posts 35, corner posts III and intermediate posts 88 are secured to the main portion 2I of the side plate 20. These posts likewise preferably abut and are welded to the flange 22 and are also welded to the reflange 26 (as shown at 95 and 96 in Fig. 3)

The side sill or lower chord 2 is rigidly secured to the bolsters and cross bearers of the underframe and the side plate or upper chord 20 is rigidly attached to the roof of the car so that these chords cannot torsion in service.

As stated before, the vertical posts (35, I0 and 88) also function as horizontally loaded vertical beams and in my arrangement the ends of the beams are securedat their opposite ends so as to become restrained beams which materially increase their strength as beams. This is particularly true when the refianges 39, I3 and I9 and the flanges 9| are welded to the chords, as these portions are further away from the neutral axis of the section than the flanges 98 or the main portions -35-'II. Welding the opposite ends'of the posts to the respective chords also strengthen these vertical members as columns. Another feature of this arrangement is the elimination of small spaces between the ends of the posts and the chords which would retain foreign matter and vermin, as well as corrosive moisture.

The web of the side .Wall girder comprises a.

plurality of relatively thin metallic sheets I00 overlapping like shingles (see Figs. 3, 4 and and connected along horizontal lines and extend- 'ing between and partially overlapping the door posts 35, corner posts and intermediate posts 88. (See Figs. 12, 13 and 14.) The upper margin of the upper wall sheet I III underlaps the oilset portion 24 of the side plate of the car and is sealed and secured thereto by a continuous line of welded material (as shown at I 02 in Fig. 3). The lower margin of the lower wall sheet terial (as shown at llll'in Fig. 5).

outwardly projecting corrugation III), which corrugations extend between the door post 35 and corner post 10 and preferably merge into the portions of the wall sheets which overlap the door post 35 and corner post 10,.respectively. (See Figs. 12 and 14.) By merging the corrugations into the wall sheet water is prevented from getting between the sheets and causing corrosion. The portion III of the wall sheet below the corrugation I III is spot welded (I I2) to the wall sheet below. The portion I I3 of the sheet Just above the corrugation III] is spot welded (Ill) to the sheet aboye. The overlapped portions of the wall sheets are spot welded to the door post 35, corner post 10 and intermediate posts 88 just below and just above the corrugations (as shown at H2 and H4 in Fig. 4). The vertical edges 01' the wall sheets are continuously welded to the door post 35 and corner post I8, respectively, for attachment thereto and to provide a weatherproof seal. The portion of each sheet is offset (1) inwardly against the door post 35, comer post III and intermediate posts 88 and welded thereto (II8) adjacent the offset portion.

When the side wall tends to form a parallelogram as heretofore described, the portion of the wall sheets between adjacent vertical posts tend to buckle inwardly or outwardly and the corrugations IIII resist such tendency by preventing the sheets from buckling. The fact that the corrugationIIIl extends continuously over the intermediate posts and overlaps the door post and corner post makes the corrugation more effective to resist such tendency. This is the same principle as a beam having a plurality of spaced supports. By my arrangement the side wall of the car is divided into numerous relatively small rectangles with each side of each rectangle secured to or provided with a stiffening element.

The side wall of a car is made by assembling a central portion of a unit; two end portions as units and then welding the central portion to the two end portions so that the several parts of the side plate 20 and auxiliary side sill 3, respectively, form continuous elements, and then attaching the side sill 2 to the auxiliary side sill 3, which side sill 2 is substantially as long as the central portion and end portions put together.

The central portion, as shown in Figs. 16 and 17, comprises the two door posts 35; the central side plate section; the lintel 58; the hood 5|; the central auxiliary side sill section; the front door stop 65 and the rear door stop 68. Preferably the door 54 itself is assembled with the central portion so that the numerous elements can be assembled on a jig and the door held in place by the several sections on the bench, thus assuring a properly fitting door.

The end portions of the side wall each comprise a corner post III an end side plate section; an end auxiliary side sill section; side wall sheets; the intermediate posts 88; the lining I5 and the lining nail blocks 40, 44, 80, and 8|.

The continuous side sill 2 is shown as a channel.

prevent the plates from buckling under the weight ofthe trucks carrying lading into the car. The

flanges I66 of adjacent plates I60 are preferably welded together, as shown at I61 in Fig. 9, and also are preferably welded to the reflanges I68 of the auxiliary side sill member at I89 in Fig. 8-.

' Fig. 10 shows a modified structure wherein the floor I'll! is supported by a member I'll secured to the lower side of the side sill flange I13 and the protectingplate I'll is welded directly to the side sill at I15.

This application is a continuation in part of my pending application for patent, Serial No. 273,617 filed May 15, 1939.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof,

within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim: I 1. A side wall for a railway car comprising a top chord, a bottom chord, vertical posts extending between and secured to said chords, and a.

plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically disposed wall sheets overlapped in shingle relationship, the overlapping outer portion of each sheet formed with acorrugation which crosses said vertical posts, said sheets being welded to said posts adjacent each side of each corrugation.

2. A side wall for a railway car comprising a top chord having a vertical member and a substantially lateral member, a bottom chord having a vertical member and a substantially horizontal member, vertical posts extending between said chords and welded to both members of both chords, and a plurality of horizontally elongated and verticallydisposed wall sheets overlapped in shingle relationship, the overlapping outer portion of each sheet formed with a corrugation which crosses said vertical posts, said sheets being welded to said posts adjacent each side of each corrugation, said sheet being also welded to said posts between said corrugations.

3. A side wall for a railway car comprising a top chord, a bottom chordintermediate posts, door posts and corner posts extending between and secured to said chords, and a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically disposed wall sheets overlapped in shingle relationship which extend between and overlap the door posts and corner posts, the overlapping outer portion of each sheet formed with a corrugation which crosses the intermediate posts and merge into the portions of said sheets which overlap the door posts and comer posts, respectively, said sheets being welded to said posts adjacent'each side of each corrugation.

4. A railroad car side wall composed of a side plate, horizontally elongated and vertically disposed sheets, an auxiliary side sill element, side arranged in overlapping relation with the marginal portions of the adjacent side sheets and the lower marginal portions of the lower side sheet arranged in overlapping relation with an upstanding marginal portion of theauxiliary side sill element, while a horizontal portion of th aux-.

iliary side sill element is arranged on top of the side sill and constitutes a side post support, the uppermost side sheet being welded to the side plate, the side sheets being welded to each other and the lower side sheet being welded to the upstanding portion of the auxiliary side sill element while the'latter is welded to the side sill to constitute a girder construction wherein the respective members and their overlapping welded constructions all extend lengthwise of the car.

5. A structure as defined in claim 4 wherein 'the overlapping marginal portions of the side sheets are formed with horizontal'corrugations;

- 6. A railroad car side wall composed of a continuous side plate, longitudinally disposed side sheets, a continuous auxiliary side sill. element of step-like formation in cross section, side posts, and the side sill, the side plate and the side sheets having laterally oil-set marginal portions disposed lengthwise thereof arranged in overlapping relation with the plane marginal portions of the adjacent side sheets and the marginal oil-set portion of the lower side sheet arranged in overlapping relation with an upstanding marginal portion ofthe auxiliary side sill element while the intermediate step-like portion of the latter is arranged on top of the side sill and constitutes a side post support, the uppermost side sheet being welded to the side plate, the side sheets being welded to each other and the lower side sheet be ing welded to the upstanding portion of the auxiliary side sill element while the latter is-welded to the side sill to constitute a girder construction wherein the respective members and their overlapping welded connections all extend'lengthwise of the car. 1 l

7. A structure as defined in claim 6 wherein the overlapping marginal portions of the side sheets are formed with horizontal corrugations and the side sheets are welded together and to the posts above and below the corrugations.

8. A side wall for a railway car consisting of a corner post comprising a relatively wide main portion extending lengthwise of the car and provided with a flange at each verticalmargin thereof, a door post comprising a relatively wide main portion extending lengthwise of the car and pro vided with a flange at each vertical margin thereof, and a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically disposed wall sheets overlapped in shingle relationship and extending between the door post and corner post, the ends of said wall sheets slightly overlapping the main portion of' corner posts comprising a relatively wide main portion extending lengthwise of the car and forming part of the weatherproofing means of the wall, said main portion formedwith inwardly projecting marginal flanges each formed with a reflange,

wooden nailing strips secured to said posts in the reentrant angles of said flanges, door posts comprising a relatively wide main portion extending lengthwise of the car and forming part of the weatherproofing means of the wall, said main portion formed with inwardly projecting marginal flanges each formed with a reflange, wooden nailing strips secured to said posts in the reentrant angles of the last mentioned flanges, a non-metallic lining secured to the aforesaid nailing strips, said aforesaid wooden strips being of sufficient size to provide a space between said reflanges and said lining, and a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically disposed wall sheets overlapped in shingle relationship, the ends of said wall sheets overlapping the main portions of the corner posts and the main portions of the door posts and secured thereto, the overlapped portion of each wall sheet provided with a corrugation which extends between the door post and corner post.

10. A side wall for a railway car consisting of a corner post comprising a relatively wide main portion extending lengthwise of the car and provided with a flange at each vertical margin thereof, a door post comprising a relatively wide main portion extending lengthwise of the car and provided with a flange at each vertical margin thereof, and a plurality of horizontally elongated and vertically disposed wall sheets overlapped in shingle relationship and extending between the door post and comer post, the ends of said wall sheets slightly overlapping the main portion of the comer post and the main portion'of the door post and secured thereto so that the main por- I tions of the door post and corner post, respectively, form part of the weatherprooflng means of the wall, the overlapped portion of each wall sheet provided with a corrugation which extends between the door post and corner post.

11. A structure as defined in claim 10 wherein said corrugations terminate within said sheets in the portion thereof which overlap the comer posts and door posts respectively.

12. A structure as defined in claim: 6 wherein a lining is secured to said posts with the lower,

portion thereof resting upon said intermediate step-like portion of the auxiliary side sill element and wherein the part of said auxiliary side sill element beyond the lining forms a floor board support, whereby the floor boards may be removed and replaced without disturbing the side wall.

13. A side wall for a railway car comprising a side plate, an upper wall sheet having its upper margin underlapping the side plate and secured and sealed thereto by a continuous line of welded material, a lower wall sheet having its upper margin underlapping the upper wall sheet, the portion of the upper sheet which overlaps the lower sheet being formed with a horizontal corrugation, said wall sheets being secured together by spot welding above and below the corrugation, an auxiliary side sill element having an upstanding flange underlapping the lower margin of the lower wall sheet and secured and sealed thereto by a continuous line of welded material, and a side sill secured to said auxiliary side sill element and set back from the plane of the lower wall sheet to provide a water table.

14. A side wall for a railway car comprising a door post, a corner post, a side plate, an upper wall sheet having its upper margin underlapping the side plate and secured and sealed thereto by a continuous line of welded material, a lower wall sheet having its upper margin underlapping the upper wall sheet, said wall sheets extending between and partially overlapping said posts, the

portion of the upper sheet which overlaps the lower sheet being formed with a horizontal corrugation, said wall sheets being secured together .said auxiliary side sill element.

terial, a lower wall sheet having its upper margin underlapping the upper wall sheet, the portion of the upper sheet which overlaps the lower sheet being formed with a horizontal corrugation, said wall sheets being secured together by spot welding above and below the corrugation, an auxiliary side sill element having an upstanding flange underlapping the lower margin of the lower wall sheet and secured and sealed thereto by a continuous line of welded material, a side sill secured to said auxiliary side sill element, and an intermediate vertical post with the upper edge thereof welded to the horizontal part of the side plate and the lower edge thereof welded to the auxiliary side plate element, said intermediate post also being welded to the wall sheets.

16. A side wall for arailway car comprising a door post, a comer post, a side plate extending between and secured to said posts comprising vertical and horizontal parts, an upper wall sheet having its upper margin underlapping the side plate and secured and sealed thereto by a continuous line of welded material, a lower wall sheet having its'upper margin underlapping the upper wall sheet, said wall sheets extending between and partially overlapping said posts, the portion of the upper sheet which overlaps the lower sheet being formed with a horizontal corrugation which merges into said sheet adjacent the vertical edges.

thereof, said wall sheets being secured together by spot welding above and below the corrugation, the vertical edges of the-wall sheets being secured and sealed to said posts, respectively, by a continuous line of welded material, an auxiliary side sill element having an upstanding flange underlapping the lower margin of the lower wall sheet and secured and sealed thereto by a continuous line of welded material, a side sill secured to said auxiliary side sill element and set back from the plane of the lower wall sheet to provide a water table, and an intermediate vertical post with the upper edge thereof welded to the horizontal part of the side plate and the lower edge thereof welded to the auxiliary side plate element, said intermediate post also being welded to the wall sheets.

17. A side wall for a railway car comprising a door post, a comer post, a side plate extending between and secured to said posts comprising vertical and horizontal parts, an upper wall sheet having its upper margin underlapping the side plate and secured thereto, a lower wall sheet having its upper margin underlapping the upper wall sheet and secured thereto, the portion of the upper sheet which overlaps the lower sheet being formed with a horizontal corrugation, an auxiliary side sill element underlapping the lower margin of the lower wall sheet and secured thereto, a side sill extending between and secured to said posts and secured to said auxiliary side sill element, and an intermediate vertical post resting upon said 2, 8 1 1, 1 88 element directly above the side sill with the upper edge thereof welded to the horizontal part of the side plate and the lower edge thereof welded to the auxiliary side plate element, said intermediate post also being welded to the wall sheets adjacent said corrugation.

18. A structure as defined in claim 14 wherein the corrugation merges into said upper wall sheet adjacent the vertical edges thereof and the overlapping and underlapping portions of both the upper sheet and lower sheet are secured and sealed to said posts, respectively, by a continuous line of welded material.

- 19. In a railroad car side wall consisting of longitudinally extending metal members welded together into a metal girder construction involving 'a continuous auxiliary side sill element of step-like formation in cross-section constituting a moisture-shedding structure and composed of an intermediate door-opening section and two end sections each provided with an intermediate horizontal portion seated on the car side sill, the horizontal portions of the end sections being adapted to support the car side posts in substantial vertical alignment with the side sills while the horizontal portion of the intermediate section constitutes the threshold 'of the door-opening, the portion of the element on the opposite side of the longitudinal center line thereof being bent downwardly beneath the top of said first mentioned horizontal portion and disposed vertically adjacent the inner side of the car side sill and terminates in a laterally disposed portion, whereby the floor-boards are supported flush with the top of the side sill.

20. A railroad car side wall composed of a side plate, side sheets, side posts, an auxiliary side sill element of step-like formation in cross-section provided with a pair of horizontally disposed portions at opposite sides of the median line of the element and having an upstanding portion at its outer longitudinal side, and a side sill, the adjacent longitudinal edges of the side plate; of the respective side sheets and of the upstanding portion of the auxiliary'side' sill element being arranged in overlapping relation and intimately united by welding, one of the horizontally disposed portions at one side of the median line of the auxiliary side longitudinal element resting on top of and intimately united-with the side sill by welding, the posts extending between and connected to said one portion and the side plate to provide a girder construction wherein the respective side wall elements except the .posts and their welded connections extend lengthwise of the car, while the other horizontally disposed portion of the auxiliary element is disposed beneath the top of the side sill and constitutes a floor-board support, said portion being formed to permit the floor-boards to be secured thereto.

21. In a railroad car side wall construction the combination of a metallic outer wall composed of a side plate, side sheets, auxiliary side sill element and a side sill, all extendinglengthwise of the car and welded together to constitute a girder, the lower marginal portions of the side plate and of the side sheets being offset to receive the upper plane marginal portions of the subjacent' side sheet, the side sheets being formed with lon itudinally disposedrigidifying surfaces; the auxiliary side sill element being of step-like formation in cross-section with a step portion on each side of the longitudinal median line of the element, the upper step portion being seated on the side sill and welded thereto and having an upwardly disposed longitudinal flange overlapped by the offset marginal portion of the lower side sheet and welded thereto,'while, the lower step portion depends beneath the top of the side $111 on the inner side thereof to constitute a floor supporting portion, whereby the floor-boards are held flush with the top 'of the side sill; vertically disposed side posts resting on the upper step portion in vertical alignment with the side sill; and a re, movable base-board supported by said upper step portion beyond the ends of the floor-boards.

22. A structure as defined in claim 6 wherein the upper portions of said posts'are welded to the side plate, the lower portions of "said posts are welded to said auxiliary side sill element and the intermediate portions of said posts are welded to the overlapping marginal portions of said side sheets.

23. A structure as defined in claim 6 wherein a doorway is providedin said wall and the ,part of said intermediate step-like portion of the auxiliary side sill element inasaid doorway forms a threshold for said doorway and wherein the auxiliary side sill element is provided with an inner step-like portion forming a floor board support, and floor boards resting upon said support with the upper surface of said floor boards substantially flush with said threshold.

24. The method of assembling a side wall of a railway car consisting of the formation of a central portion comprising a door frame and a side plate section, the formation of "a pair of end portions each comprising a side plate section and the formation of a side sill as long as such central portion and the two said end portions and then assembling the side wall by welding said side plate sections into one continuous side plate and .welding said central and end portions to said side with a threshold member, the formation 'of two separate end portions by securing the tops of a plurality of posts together with side plate sections, securing the bottoms of said posts together with auxiliary side sill .parts and securing said posts, sections and parts together with wall sheets and the formation of a side sill as long as said door opening portion and said end portions and then assembling the side wall by welding the three side plate sections together to form a continuous sde plate, welding the threshold member to the auxiliary side sill parts to form a continuous auxiliary side sill and welding the threshold member and the auxiliary sid sill parts to said side sill.

26. The method of assembling a side wall of a railway car consisting of the formation of a central portion comprising spaced apart door posts, a lintel extending between and secured to said posts, side plate section extending between and secured to said posts, and a threshold section between and secured to said posts, the formation of a pair of end portions each comprising a side plate section, an auxiliary side sill, vertical posts extending between and secured to said plate and sill, wall sheets extending between and secured to said plate and sill and the formation of a side, sill substantially as long as said central portion and the two said end portions and then assembling .the side wall by welding said side plate sections'into one continuous side plate, then attaching the auxiliary side sill and the threshold to the side sill, then welding the ends of the auxiliary side sills to the ends of the threshold and then welding the side sheets to the door posts.

27. The method of assemblinga side wall of a railway car consisting of the formation of a central portion comprising spaced apart door posts, a door stop on each door. post, a lintel extending between and secured to saidposts, side plate section extending between and secured to said posts and a threshold section between and secured to said posts, the formation of a pair of end portions each comprising a side plate section, an auxiliary side sill, vertical posts extending between and secured to said plate and sill, wall sheets extending between and secured to said plate and sill, the formation of a side sill as long as said central portion and the two said end portions, attaching a door track upon said sill and then' slidably mounting a door upon said track so as to engage said door stops and open or close the space between said door posts and then assembling the side wall by welding said side plate sections into one continuous side plate, then attaching the auxiliary side sill and the threshold to the side sill, then welding the ends of the auxiliary side sills to the ends of the threshold and then welding the side sheets to the door posts.

28. A side sill for a railway car comprising a vertical part and a horizontal part and an auxiliary member having a horizontal portion secured to the horizontal part of said side sill, an outer upstanding flange for attachment of vertical post thereto, and an inner depending flange formed with a reflange adapted to support a floor structure with the upper surface of the floor structure substantially flush with the top of said horizontal portion of the auxiliary member.

29. A side sill for a-railway car comprising a vertical part and a horizontal part and an aux iliary member having a horizontal portion plug welded to the horizontal part of said side sill to provide a flush threshold of a door opening,'an outer upstanding flange for attachment of vertical post thereto, and an inner depending flange formed with a reflange adapted to support a floor structure, the depth of the last mentioned flange being substantially equal to the vertical depth of the. floor structure so that the top of said floor structure is flush with said threshold.

30. A side wall for a railway car having a door opening therein and comprising a vertically disposed channel side sill, an auxiliary side sill member having a horizontal member secured to the upper flange of said channel and arranged to form a threshold for said doorway, said auxiliary member being provided with an outer upstanding flange on each side of said doorway for attachment of side wall sheets, said auxiliary member also being provided with an inner depending flange formed with a reflange, and a floor structure supported by said reflange.

31. In a railway car, the combination of a side sill, an auxiliary side sill element having a horizontal portion, an outer upstanding flange and an inner depending flange formed with a reflange, a vertical post secured to said upstanding flange and to said horizontal portion and positioned directly over said sill and a floor supported by said reflange of the auxiliary side sill-element, said horizontal portion of the auxiliary side sill resting upon and secured to said side sill.

32. In a railway car, a wall having a door opening therein, a side sill, an auxiliary side sill element having a horizontal portio'n resting upon and secured to the side sill and forming a threshold for said door opening, said auxiliary side sill element provided with a depending flange and a reflange inside of and below the top of said side sill, and a wooden flooring supported by said reflange with the top of said flooring substantially flush with said threshold.

33. In a railway car having spaced apart sills, a wooden flooring extending substantially therebetween, a plurality of perforated metallic floor protecting plates extending substantially between said sills, and means to support said flooring from said sills, the meeting margins of said protecting plates formed with depending flanges with the opposite ends of said flanges secured to said means.

34. In a railway car having spaced apart sills, a wooden flooring extending substantially therebetween, a plurality of perforated metallic floor protecting plates extending substantially between said sills, and means to support said flooring from said sills, the meeting margins of said pro-' tecting plates formed with depending flanges with the opposite ends of said flanges secured to said means, the adjacent protecting plates being welded together substantially in the plane of the upper surface thereof.

35. In a railway car comprising spaced apart ,walls each having a door opening therein, a

wooden flooring extending between said walls, a threshold plate in each of said openings comprising a threshold part and means supporting said flooring, and a perforated metallic floor protecting plate comprising a body portion and marginal depending flanges, said body portion being substantially flush with the threshold part of the threshold plate and welded thereto and said depending flanges having their opposite ends welded to said means on opposite sides of the car.

36. In a railway car comprising spaced apart walls, each wall having a door opening therein, a

side sill and an auxiliary side sill element having a horizontal portion resting upon and secured to the side sill and forming a threshold for said door opening, each of said auxiliary side sill el ments provided with a depending-flange and a reflange inside of and below the top of the adjacent side sill, a wooden flooring supported by said reflanges with the top of said flooring substantially flush with said thresholds, and a perforated metallic floor protecting plate extending between and welded to auxiliary side sill elements of the spaced apart walls.

37. A structure as defined in claim 36 wherein the floor protecting plate is provided with depending flanges which extend crosswise of the car and are secured to the reflanges of the auxiliary side sill elements of the spaced apart walls.

I KARL F. NYSTROM. 

